Snow-plow



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

, W. C. HART.

SNOW PLOW. No. 439,274. y Patented ont. 28, 1890.

@U William lart 2 Sheets-Sheet' 2. W. C. HART.

SNOW PLOW.

(No Model.)

No. 439,274. Patented oct. 28, 1890.?

me wunms'renns cc., vamo-umu.. wnsmnfnou, D. c.

UNiTnn STATns PATENT GFFICE.

VILLIAM C. HART, OF MANISTIQUE, MICHIGAN.

SNOW-PLOW.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 439,274, dated October 28, 1890.

A Application filed June '7, 1890. Serial No. 354,669. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM C. HART, a citizen of the United States, residing at Manistique, in the county of Schoolcraft andState of Michigan, have invented a new and useful Snow-Plow, of which the following is a speciiication.

This invention relates to snow-plows; and it has for its object to provide a device of this class which shall be simple in construction, durable, and efficient in operation.

lVith these ends in view the invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and combination of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings hereto annexed, Figure l is a perspective view of a snow-plow equipped with my improvements. Fig. 1s a bottom plan view of the same. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view. Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse sectional View taken through the king-bolt, by means of which the front sleigh is connected to the reach. Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken vertically through the screw, by means of which the front end of the plow is adjusted. Fig. 6 is a vertical transverse sectional view taken through the mechanism for adjusting the rear end of the plow. Fig. 7 is a vertical.

transverse sectional view taken through the sled that supports the rear end of the plow. Fig. 8 is a sectional detail view of a portion of the front sled.

Like numerals of reference indicate like parts in all the figures of the drawings.

1 designates a reach-frame, which 1s coinposed of the forwardly-converging front bars 2 2 and the rearwardly-converging rear bars 3 3, which combine to form the diamond-shaped frame clearly shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings.

Secured to the under side of the reachframe, near the front end of the latter, by means of the king-bolt 4 is the sled 5, which comprises the runners 6 G, having the knees or uprights 7, supporting the transverse bar or bolster 8, carrying the seat-supports 9, upon which the drivers seat 10 is mounted.

A pair of brace-rods 11 are secured to the rear ends of the runners and extend from thence in an upward and forward direction over the bolster 8, to which they are bolted or otherwise suitably secured. The front ends of the brace-rods 11 are extended through perforations l2 in the front ends of the runners and are provided with eyes 13, in which the transverse draft-bar 14 is secured. The front ends of the brace-rods are also provided with vert-ical'perforations 15 for the attachnient of the ends of a brace chain or rod 16, which connects the front ends of the said rods 11 with the king-bolt 4. By this construction great strength is attained and the front sled is enabled to turn Yfreely upon the king-bolt without straining the latter. The draft, it will be'observed, is not upon the front ends of the runners alone, but is mainly upon the brace-rods 11, the rear ends of which are attached to the rear ends of the runners. Hence the tendency of the draft will be to lift or raise the sled from the ground, and danger of becoming stalled in heavy drift-s of snow is to a considerable extent avoided.

The reach-frame l is provided at the junction of the front and rear bars 2 and 3 with a transverse brace 17, to the underside of which the rear sled 18 is connected by means of a vertical bolt 19. sled, is composed of the runners 20, bolster 21, and braces 22, connecting the front and rear ends of the runners, said braces passing over the bolster, which latter is supported upon the knees or uprights 23. The under side of the reach-frame is provided with wear-plates 24, affording bearings for the upper side of the bolster.

25 designates the snow-plow, which is coinposed of the wings or mold-boards 26, which converge and are connected together at their front ends. This plow, which may be best described as being of the ordinary type ,of V-shaped snowl-plows, is provided at its front end with a slot 27 for the passage of the front end of the reach-frame.

The mold-boards 26 are connected near their rear ends by the transverse bracefraine 28, which is composed of the vert-ical stiles 29 and the transverse braces 30.

The reach-frame is provided at some distance in front of the rear sled with a transverse brace-plate 31, the ends of which are provided with notches 32, guided upon the The rear sled, like the front IOO vertical stiles 29 of the brace-frame of the plow, which is in this manner connected very securely with the reach-frame at this point.

A pair of screw-threaded rods 33 are extended vertically through the brace-frame 2S, in which they are swiveled, and through the\ brace-plate 3l, which latter is provided with screw-threaded perforations 34, engaged by the said screw-threaded rods. The latter are provided above the upper transverse bracebar 30 of the brace-frame 28 with collars 35, and upon the upper side of said brace-bar is secured a plate 36, having notched ends 37 extended over the. said collars, thereby preventing displacement of the screws 33. The latter are provided at their upper ends with cranks or handles 38, by means of which they may be conveniently manipulated. It willbe seen that by this mechanism the sides of the plow may be vertically adjusted independently of each other with relation to the reachframe and the rear sled. These screws also serve to strengthen the connection between the several parts of the machine.

A screw 39, similar to the screws 33, and provided at .its upper end with a crank or handle 40, extends vertically through the front end of the plow and engages a screw-threaded perforation 41 in a plate 42, which is suitably secured at the front end of the reach-frame. The screw 39 is provided with a collar 43, that rests or bears against the upper side of the point of the plow, which is provided with a suitably-constructed cap 44 to receive the wear.

The slot 27 at the front end of the plow is to be made of suitable dimensions to admit of any desired adjustment of the plow-point with relation to the front end of the reachframe. The latter is provided on its under side with a V-shaped cap 45, which fits over the front edge of the plow, completely covering that portion of the slot 27 which is below the reach-frame, and thus preventing snow and ice from working into the said slot and interfering with the operation of the device.

46 designates a vertical shaft, which is journaled in suitable perforations in transverse braces 47 and 4S, which are attached, respectively, to the reach-frame and to the plow near the front end of the latter. The lower end of the shaft 46 is provided with a cross-piece 49, the ends of which are connected by crossed chains or rods 50 with the front ends of the braces 22 of the rear sled. Itwill be seen that by operating the shaft 46 the rear sled may be turned -upon its pivot or king-bolt to guide the plow to either side. The upper end of the shaft 46 is provided with a lever or handle 5l, which extends rearwardly and rests upon the upper side of a yoke or bail 52, which is suitably attached to the braceframe 2S of the plow. The upper side of the yoke or bail 52 is provided with upwardlyextending studs or lugs 53, between which the rear end of the lever or handle 51 may be adjusted and where the said lever, which is to be constructed of metal, is held or retained by its natural resiliency. Y

The mold-boards of the plow are to be curved or concaved substantially as shown in the drawings, so as to guide and force the snow and ice in an upward and outward direction. At the rear ends of said mold-boards the concavity, however, becomes less pronounced, and the rear ends of said moldboards will serve to pack the snow and ice firmly and compactly at the sides of the road. To the said mold-boards at or near their rear ends are hinged the wings or flanges 54, which serve to force a portion of the snow and ice still farther back upon the bank, thereby preventing it from tumbling down into the track, and also providing a step upon which horses of passing'` teams may walk when it becomes necessary to turn out of the track without danger of becoming' stalled in the snow-banks. These wings or supplemental mold-boards are provided Awith inwardly-extending rack-bars 55, engaging a pinion 56 upon a vertical shaft 57, which is journaled in the rear end of the reach-frame and in a bracket 58, which is secured upon a platform 59, mounted upon the rear end of the reach-frame.

The upper end of the shaft 57 has a handwheel 60, by means of which it may be conveniently manipulated by the operator, who v is stationed upon the platform 59 and who attends to the adjustment of the wings 54 as well as to the guiding of the rear sled and the adjustment of the rear end of the plow.

A pawl and ratchet 61 62 is to be provided for the purpose of retaining the shaft 57 at any desired adjustment.

From the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, the operation and advantages of my improved snow-plow will be readily understood. The plow may be very conveniently guided, owing to the arrangement of the independent front and rear sleds, each of which may be turned independently of the other, so as to guide the plow in any desired direction. This is especially important in districts where such obstructions as stumps and rocks are frequently encountered. rlhe front and rear ends of the plow are also vertically adjusted independently of each other in the manner herein described, and I am thus enabled, by elevating' the point of the plow, to lighten the draft very considerably. The sides of the rear end of the plow being also independently adjustable, I am enabled to make a crowning road, which is very important and desirable for the purpose of guiding the water resulting from the thaw to the sides of the road. The platform upon the rear end of the reach-frame affords a convenient station for the operator who is to assist the driver in the manipulation of the plow. The reach-frame itself adds greatly to the strength of the general structure and to its ability to resist the strain to which it will necessarily be subjected in op- TIO eration. The supplementalwings at the rear ends of the sides or mold-boards of the plow serve to force a portion of the snow and ice back upon the bank, and thus without greatly increasing the draft add very materially to the efficiency of the device, inasmuch as the work performed in this manner is much more permanent in its character than that performed by snow-plows of the kind now generally employed, which simply force the snow back into banks, which are liable to tumble back into the road. The said supplemental wings may be readily adjusted or spread to any desired width; or, if the draft becomes too heavy, they may be thrown back against the sides of the platform and out of operation.

In the construction of my improved snowplow I avail myself of such materials as are usually and preferably employed in the manufacture of snow plows and sleds, and the general construction, as herein described, is simple, inexpensive, and durable.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States- 1. The combination, with a snowplow, of the diamond-shaped reach bar or frame extending` through a slot in the front end of said plow and an independent guiding-sled swiveled by a king-bolt to the front end of said reach-bar, substantially as set forth.

2. In a snow-plow, the herein-described guiding-sled comprising the runners, the knees or uprights, the bolster, the braces attached to the rear ends of the runners and extended upwardly and forwardly over the bolster and through perforations in the front ends of the runners, and a draft-bar secured between the projecting front ends of the brace-rods, substantially as set forth.

3. The combination of the snow-plow, the reach-frame, the guiding-.sled secured to the front end of the reach-frame by means of the king-bolt, the brace-rods attached to the rear ends of the sled-runners and extended over the bolster and through perforations in the front ends of said runners, and the brace-rods attached to the king-bolt and having its ends connected with perforations in the ends of the brace-rods that project beyond the front ends of the runners, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination, with the snow-plow, of the diamond-shaped reach-frame extending through the slot in the front end of the plow and the independent front and rear guidingsleds, substantially as set forth.

5. The combination of the reach-frame, the snow-plow having a horizontal slot at its front end for the passage of said frame, the inde pendent front and rear guiding-sleds, and means for vertically adjusting the front and rear ends of the plow independently of each other with relation to the reach-frame and guiding-sleds, substantially as set forth.

6. The combination of the reach-frame, the snow-plow having a horizontal slot at its front end for the passage of said' frame, and a vertical adjustinglscrew extending through the front end of the plow, engaging a screwthreaded perforation in a plate attached to the reach-frame, and having a iiange or collar l shaped cap or guard attached to the reachframe and extending downwardly over the slot, and an adj listing-screw for the vertical adjustment of the front end of the plow with relation to the reach-frame, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of the snow-plow, the reach-frame having a transverse brace, the rear sled connected pivotally to the under side of said brace, a vertical shaft journaled in transverse braces secured to the reachframe and the plow and having a hand-lever at its upper end and a cross-bar at its lower end, and the cross rods or chains connecting the'ends of the said cross-bar with the front ends of the sled-runners, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of the snow-plow, the reach-frame having a transverse brace, the rear sled connected pivotally with said brace, the wear-plates secured upon the latter and affording bearings for the bolster of the rear sled, and means for adjusting the latter to guide the plow, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination, with the V-shaped plow having the transverse bracing-frame comprising the vertical stiles and the transverse braces, of the reach-frame having a transverse brace-plate provided at its ends with notches engaging the said vertical stiles, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination, with the V-shaped snow-plow having the transverse bracingframe provided with vertical stiles, of the reach-frame having the transverse brace-plate with notched ends to engage the said stiles and the adjusting-screws swiveled in said bracing-frame and engaging screw-threaded perforations in the transverse bracing-plate of the reach-frame, substantially as set forth.

12. The combination of the V-shaped snowplow having the transverse bracing-frame and provided with a slot at its front end, the reach-frame extending through said slot and having atransverse braceplate with notched ends to engage the vertical stiles of the bracing-frame of the plow, the independent front and rear guiding-sleds supporting said reachframe, and the adj Listing-screws arranged, respectively, at the point of the plow and near the ends of the transverse bracing-frame and engaging screw-threaded perforations in the transverse bracing-plate of the reach-frame and in a plate near the front end of the reach, substantially as set forth.

13. The combination ofthe V-shaped snow- IOC IZO

plow, the diamond-shaped reach-frame, the independentswivelecl guiding-sleds supporting the latter, mechanism for adj usting the plow vertically with relation to the reach-frame, the auxiliary'wings hinged at o1' near the real' ends of the sides o1- molcl-boards of the plow and having inwardly-extending rack-bars, a.

platform mounted upon the rear end of the reach-frame, and a shaft j ournaled vertically in said reach-frame and platform and provided with a hand-wheel, a pinion engaging 

